CineEurope: Colin Firth's 'The Mercy' Gets Previewed by StudioCanal

Ron Howard's Beatles documentary and 'Paddington 2' also were highlights in the growing European major's first-day product presentation.

Just two days after it unveiled the official title for James Marsh's buzzy Colin Firth-starring biopic about an ill-fated British amateur sailor, StudioCanal on Monday gave crowds at CineEurope an exclusive first look at The Mercy.

Formally known as the Untitled Donald Crowhurst Film, the drama sees Firth portraying the real-life businessman who disregards advice — including from his wife, played by Rachel Weisz — and enters into an around-the-world solo yacht race in 1968, with fatal consequences.

Another hotly tipped title in the growing European studios tradeshow lineup was the Matthew McConaughey-starring Gold, directed by Stephen Gaghan, which was given an exclusive work-in-progress preview. Due in the first quarter of 2017, the drama — which will be distributed by The Weinstein Co. in the U.S. — sees McConaughey teaming with Edgar Ramirez as an unlikely duo who head into the Indonesian forests in search of precious metal.

CineEurope was treated to another brand new glimpse of a similarly jungle-themed adventure in Lost City of Z, also due next year and starring Charlie Hunnam as Colonel Percy Fawcett, the British explorer often believed to have provided the inspiration for Indiana Jones.

Also: Ron Howard's Beatles documentary, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week, is due to hit international cinemas this fall following a major event in London on Sept. 15.

"It takes you closer to the experience," the director said via a video message. "Those who only know of The Beatles can fully appreciate the impact on the world they had."

Others titles in the StudioCanal presentation included the Liam Neeson-starring The Commuter, billed as a "smart action thriller" and due to go into production later this year, and a 3D "ultimate" version of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, set to launch in October on the 25th anniversary of the original pic's release.

"This is the definitive version of the film," offered helmer James Cameron in a recorded video.

Away from action, the studio finished its presentation with its growing family slate, introducing Early Man, the Nick Park-directed feature with Aardman and revealing it is "currently in discussion" with the acclaimed animation studio about a sequel to Shaun the Sheep Movie, which grossed over $100 million last year.

But it was the sequel to StudioCanal's biggest ever film and most successful non-studio film of all time that brought the show to an end. Paddington 2 will start shooting in the fall, it was revealed, with a U.K. release date of Nov. 10, 2017.

"The first Paddington far exceeded our expectations," said producer David Hayman of the film that went on to gross $270 million worldwide. "All the Brown family are back."